WhatsApp Android beta shows feature where group admins can restrict members from forwarding messages

WhatsApp is testing the feature to allow group admins to restrict frequently forwarded messages in their groups. The feature has not been made available yet as it is in developing phase right now.

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With the new feature, WhatsApp group admins will be able to restrict participants from sending Frequently Forwarded messages

WhatsApp has been taking steps to curb the spread of fake news on its platform for quite some time now. In the 2.19.97 beta update, the Facebook-owned messaging app is testing a new feature that would allow the group admins to stop “frequently forwarded messages” to be sent in the group, reported WAbetainfo.

The report mentions that the feature has not been enabled in the beta version of the app yet as it is in the developing phase. According to WAbetainfo, in the 2.19.80 beta update WhatsApp was testing two new features — “forwarding info” (that would inform how many times a message has been forwarded) and “frequently forwarded message” — which have been enabled in the 2.19.86 beta update.

Watch: Whatsapp’s new features against fake news

How the feature will work in WhatsApp

As per the report, once activated, the feature can be enabled from the “Group settings”. Only the group administrators can see and edit the “Frequently forwarded messages” option in the group settings. On tapping it, the admin will be asked to “Choose to allow participants to send frequently forwarded messages to this group” with “Allow” and “Don’t allow” options.

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The feature is not available yet, WhatsApp is developing it at the moment. (Image source: WAbetainfo)

While group admins can restrict the frequently forwarded messages in their groups, a user can always copy and paste such messages and send it to as many groups and people they want. But it will slow down the process considerably, and not everyone is so passionate to share a message to this extent.

Also read | WhatsApp group privacy settings: Here’s how it works, how to enable, and invite users to groups now

The report mentions that WhatsApp is currently testing the feature in this Android version and as of now no tracks have been found in the iOS app. However, the messaging service is expected to test the feature in iOS soon.

WhatsApp recently restricted group settings for users, allowing them to ensure that not everybody can add them to a group automatically. WhatsApp users can now limit the option of being added to a group to only their contacts or even no one. The default setting remains that anyone can add a user to a group.

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